(Matthew 3:13–17; Isaiah 42:1–9)
Christmas came with light and song, angels and shepherds, wonder and warmth.
But now, the decorations are packed away. The sanctuary feels quieter. Many of us feel a bit tired—spiritually or otherwise. The joy of Christmas fades quickly into the long stretch of ordinary time.
But the Gospel does not fade.
After all the glory of Bethlehem, we might expect Jesus to step into the spotlight with majesty and might. Instead, he shows up at the river (Matthew 3:13).
There is no throne, no crown—just water, dust, and a prophet waist-deep in the Jordan.
This moment may seem quiet, even understated. But it is, in fact, a moment of deep power and abiding presence.
Here, Jesus steps into his calling.
Here, heaven opens.
Here, a new creation begins (Matthew 3:16–17; cf. Genesis 1:2).
We’ve just heard from Isaiah about a servant filled with the Spirit, called to bring justice—not with violence, but with gentle persistence (Isaiah 42:1–4).
That vision now takes shape in the person of Jesus.
As we turn to the Gospel reading, listen for what God is doing—through water, through Spirit, through the Word spoken from heaven.
The Gospel Reading: Matthew 3:13–17
13 At that time Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan River so that John would baptize him. 14 John tried to stop him and said, “I need to be baptized by you, yet you come to me?”
15 Jesus answered, “Allow me to be baptized now. This is necessary to fulfill all righteousness.”
So John agreed to baptize Jesus. 16 When Jesus was baptized, he immediately came up out of the water. Heaven was opened to him, and he saw the Spirit of God coming down like a dove and resting on him. 17 A voice from heaven said, “This is my Son whom I dearly love; I find happiness in him.”
Here is where we begin.
Jesus steps into the water—not because he needs to repent, but because he is choosing to stand with us (Matthew 3:14–15).
He identifies not with power as the world defines it, but with those longing for a new beginning.
And in that act of humility, the heavens open, the Spirit descends, and a voice speaks:
“This is my Son, the Beloved, with whom I am well pleased.” (Matthew 3:17)
It’s a moment that reveals something essential—not just about Jesus, but about God.
About what power really looks like. About where God chooses to be present.
And about who we are called to be, as people who have passed through the waters ourselves (Romans 6:3–4).
So today, in the quiet after Christmas, in the cold days of winter, in a world that still aches for justice and hope—we turn our attention to the water. And we ask:
What does Jesus’ baptism tell us about the power and presence of God?
And what does it mean for us to live as a baptized people in a world like this one?
The Polar Plunge
I’m not one of those people who thinks jumping into freezing water is a good way to start a new year.
But every January, without fail, people line up for what they call the polar plunge.
And they don’t just survive it—they love it.
They come out shivering and soaking wet, but also strangely joyful.
They talk about it like it’s a baptism: “You’ve got to try it. It’s exhilarating. It changes you.”
To most of us, that sounds like madness.
Why would anyone choose that? Why would someone walk willingly into something so cold, so uncomfortable?
And yet—that’s exactly the question the Gospel invites us to ask.
Why would Jesus step into that water?
Why would he stand in a muddy river, shoulder to shoulder with a crowd of people confessing their sins (Matthew 3:6, 14)?
He didn’t need to repent. He had nothing to prove.
Even John tries to stop him: “I need to be baptized by you.” (Matthew 3:14)
But Jesus insists:
“Allow it now, for this is proper to fulfill all righteousness.” (Matthew 3:15)
It may look like foolishness—just like that freezing plunge.
But it’s something more.
This is Jesus choosing to fully identify with us.
Not from the safety of the shore, but from within the water.
Not in power as the world defines it—but in presence, in humility, in solidarity.
This is what the power of God looks like: not distant, not detached, but entering the water with us (Philippians 2:6–8).
The Baptism of Jesus: A Revelation of Power
Jesus steps into the water—not to be cleansed, but to fully identify with God’s kingdom (Matthew 3:13–15).
John prepares the way, and Jesus joins the movement—not from above, but from within.
This act isn’t just symbolic. It reveals what true power looks like in God’s reign.
It looks like humility, solidarity, and resistance.
- Humility – Jesus submits not only to God’s will but to John’s hands. He allows himself to be led.
- Solidarity – He stands with the crowd—those seeking healing and hope (Isaiah 61:1; Luke 4:18–19).
- Resistance – He turns from the world’s systems of control, signaling God’s justice is coming—and it won’t look like Caesar’s (Matthew 4:8–10; Luke 1:52–53).
And then:
The heavens open.
The Spirit descends like a dove.
And a voice speaks:
“This is my Son, the Beloved, with whom I am well pleased.” (Matthew 3:17; cf. Isaiah 42:1)
That’s the moment. That’s the shift.
That’s where power and presence meet.
Power Redefined: Righteousness as Restoration
When Jesus says, “Let it be so now… to fulfill all righteousness,” (Matthew 3:15),
he’s not talking about religious formality.
He’s talking about restoration—about putting things back in right relationship.
In Matthew’s Gospel, righteousness is never just personal morality.
It’s about justice, mercy, healing, and reconciliation—God’s vision for the world lived out among us (Matthew 5:6, 10, 20; 6:33).
Jesus’ baptism is:
- Personal – yes.
- But also public, political, and prophetic (Luke 3:18–20).
It marks the beginning of a new creation (Genesis 1:2; Matthew 3:16–17),
a new exodus (Exodus 14:21–22; Matthew 4:1),
a new covenant (Jeremiah 31:31–34)—embodied in a person.
Righteousness is not perfection—but participation.
Not retreat, but restoration.
Not escaping the world, but entering it—as Jesus did—to make it whole.
Our Baptism: Marked by the Same Spirit
Jesus’ baptism isn’t just something we remember.
It’s something we share (Romans 6:3–4).
When we are baptized, we are drawn into his story—into that same power and presence.
Baptism is not just being washed clean (Acts 22:16).
It’s being called.
Not just joining a church—but joining a kingdom (Mark 1:15).
It’s a “no” to what wounds us—
and a bold, courageous “yes” to the life God intends (Ephesians 4:22–24).
The Spirit that rested on Jesus is the same Spirit poured out on us (Acts 2:38; Galatians 4:6).
And that Spirit doesn’t just comfort us—it commissions us (Matthew 28:19–20).
Isaiah’s Servant and the Church’s Vocation
Isaiah 42 shows us what a Spirit-filled life looks like:
“A light to the nations… opening the eyes of the blind… setting captives free.” (Isaiah 42:6–7)
That’s Jesus’ calling.
And through baptism—it becomes ours (1 Peter 2:9).
We are baptized not into comfort or status—
but into service, into justice, into compassion (Micah 6:8).
The power of baptism isn’t found in privilege, but in purpose.
We are not spectators.
We are servants.
Not to keep the light to ourselves—but to carry it into the darkness (Matthew 5:14–16).
A Baptismal People in a Broken World
The world is fractured.
Divided. Despairing.
But the baptized carry a different power.
- The power of presence—choosing to show up, even when it’s hard.
- The power of peace—not passivity, but courageous compassion (James 3:17–18).
- The power of justice—not to crush, but to lift and heal (Isaiah 42:3–4).
To fulfill all righteousness means shaping our lives—and our world—to reflect God’s love.
We are not just baptized into belief.
We are baptized into mission (John 20:21).
Come On In—The Water Is Holy
At the beginning of this message, we talked about those bold (or slightly crazy) folks who plunge into icy water each New Year’s Day.
Why? Because something in them longs to feel awake, alive, renewed.
And maybe that’s what baptism invites us into too.
Jesus steps into the water—not because he needed to, but because we do.
He shows us power that doesn’t stand above us, but walks with us.
A presence that meets us in the mess and says:
“You are not alone.” (Isaiah 43:2)
That same water is still calling.
Not a polar plunge—but a kingdom plunge.
A call to humility, justice, and hope.
So whether your baptism was decades ago or still to come…
Whether you remember it or not…
Today is a chance to say yes again.
To step off the shore.
To stand with Christ.
To live as a beloved child of God in a broken world.
The water is cold sometimes.
The work is hard.
But it’s holy.
And Christ is already in it.
Come on in.
The water is filled with power and presence.
And it is more than fine—
It is sacred.
Pieces of the Puzzle 